CHEERS rang out from a packed Nuneaton Town Hall last night as a bid to build a huge housing development was defeated.

Up to 100 protesters crammed in to the planning committee meeting at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council to oppose the plan for 326 new homes to be built on a green belt site in Weddington.

Sparks flew as councillors debated the case for the development off Church Lane and Weddington Road in to the evening, before voting six to four against the plan.

A petition was handed in containing 3,783 signatures from residents opposing the housing on fields next to Weddington Parish Church.

Coun Jeff Clarke (Cons, Weddington) said: “During my 12 years as a member of this council at no time have I been contacted by so many residents on a single issue.

“This has really stirred the emotion in the Weddington area and outside.”

The development would have included a mixture of bungalows, detached and semi-detached properties – 25 per cent of which would have been affordable housing.

Hallams, the Sheffield-based developers, had included a doctors surgery and would have been required to contribute more than £3.5million towards infrastructure and facilities in the area.

Coun Tony Lloyd (Lab, Slough) said: “I’m portfolio holder for housing on this council and I’m not going to apologise for wanting affordable housing.

"We need it and we are missing targets in this borough.

"I understand people living near that nice green patch, but they have got to take their fair share of the houses.”

Council officers had recommended the plan be rejected after revising down estimates of housing need to 1,215 over the next five years.

Officers said the borough already had provision for 1,932 houses on existing brown fields sites.

Developers Hallams accused the borough council of reducing its interim new housing requirement by half what it had previously deemed necessary.

Dr Alan Srbljanin, chairman of Save Weddington Oppose the Residential Development (SWORD), said: “Tonight is a very important night not just for Weddington, but for any citizen who happens to live near land like this in the borough.

“If councillors today override your officers’ advice you will have set a powerful precedent.

"All the much loved open spaces across Nuneaton and Bedworth will be at risk of being built over.”